Places to eat near The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel – don’t miss out on the traditional delicacies

If you only have a short stay in Ho Chi Minh City, you certainly won’t be able to experience all the delicious dishes this place has to offer. But don’t miss the opportunity to explore the long-standing restaurants that have been associated with the city’s development. And although the culinary landscape of Saigon is constantly expanding and enriching, these restaurants in district 1 that we want to introduce below are always there, from those listed in the Michelin list to the very old ones that are always crowded with customers and loved by the locals.

Top 5 places to eat near The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel

Pho Minh

A pho restaurant that blends Northern and Southern pho, passed down for 3 generations, from the 1940s until now, Pho Minh is still simple in a small alley on the crowded Pasteur street in the city center. The restaurant still retains the large signboard from 1957, and the simple tables and chairs, in a space of no more than 20 guests at a time.

The special thing that Michelin honored Bib Gourmand for 3 consecutive years 2023-2024-2025 is probably the broth. Pho Minh has a traditional Northern pho recipe, the broth is sweet, sweet from the bones and has no other additives. However, through each generation, the Northern pho flavor has been transformed to better suit the taste of Southern diners, adding a plate of blanched bean sprouts, a plate of basil, coriander, sliced fresh lemon and chili sauce, black sauce to eat with. The beef pho bowl still has a lot of onions like Northern pho, the broth is saltier than Southern pho but adds bones when stewing to make it darker, the restaurant also does not use spices such as cinnamon, star anise, cloves but only uses grilled ginger and lemongrass to cook.

Address: 63/6 Pasteur, Ben Nghe, District 1, City. Ho Chi Minh (1 km from The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel)

Opening hours: 7am – 10am daily

Banh xeo Dinh Cong Trang 

Another long-standing restaurant in Saigon, present in this city since 1945, Banh xeo Dinh Cong Trang pancakes have probably become the address that most domestic and foreign tourists coming to Saigon want to visit. Located on a small street near Tan Dinh market and Tan Dinh church (the pink church), Banh xeo Dinh Cong Trang have an open kitchen right at the beginning of the alley, the sound of kitchen utensils hitting the cast iron pan, the hands of the cooks pouring pancakes quickly on the red-hot stoves create a scene that is both pleasing to the eyes and ears.

The restaurant’s pancakes can be said to be giant, the crust is golden and crispy, with the inside full and rich with bean sprouts, green beans, fresh shrimp, pork, mushrooms and onions. The restaurant serves both indoor and outdoor seating, however, the tables will always be full. It will not be strange if you have to wait for your turn when you arrive, so it is best to avoid the restaurant’s peak hours from 6-7pm. Here you can also try spring rolls, spring rolls, and beef dipped in vinegar from the restaurant’s menu of more than 50 dishes. Banh xeo Dinh Cong Trang is awarded Bib Goumand 2025 from Michelin.

Address: 46A Dinh Cong Trang, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (2.6 km from The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel)

Opening hours: 10am-2pm (lunch) and 4pm-9pm (dinner)

Bun bo Hue Dong Ba

Bun bo originated from Hue, brought to Saigon by the family more than 35 years ago. The noodles are made from rice, larger than normal noodles, combined with thinly sliced beef, pork roll, crab roll and pork leg. To make the specialty of bun bo, each restaurant will have its own secret recipe. With Dong Ba Hue bun bo, the rich aroma of shrimp paste, lemongrass and chili makes the difference.

Carrying the love of grandmothers and mothers for Hue cuisine, the children in the family are still proud and continue the cooking recipe to enrich the choice of bun bo in the memory of domestic and international guests.

Address: 207B Nguyen Van Thu, Da Kao, District 1, City. Ho Chi Minh City (2.2 km from The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel)

Opening hours: from 6am to 10pm every day

Bun moc Thanh Mai 

Vermicelli with meatballs originated from Moc village (Hanoi), and has long been present in every corner of Saigon with a variety of flavors and variations. Thanh Mai vermicelli with meatballs restaurant located right next to Ben Thanh market is always crowded from the time it opens until it closes every day, loved by customers due to the meticulous and harmonious combination of many spices as well as important ingredients of the dish such as small fresh vermicelli noodles, young ribs, various types of sausages…

The broth is simmered from pork bones and filtered very carefully to get a pot of water that is both sweet and clear. The accompanying meatballs of Thanh Mai vermicelli soup also fully converge the sweet taste of pork roll, the fragrant taste of cinnamon sausage, the strong sweetness of leaf sausage, the crispy meatballs with the elegant taste of wood ear mushrooms, along with a bit of shiitake mushrooms, and chopped green onions and of course, the perfect piece of ribs, very soft and fragrant thanks to being carefully processed and simmered in water for many hours. Vermicelli soup is served with water spinach, shredded banana flower, mint, basil, and if you are brave enough, add a bit of shrimp paste for a richer, more flavorful taste.

Address: 14 Truong Dinh, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (1.7 km from The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel)

Opening hours: from 4:30 am to 2:00 pm

Bun rieu ganh Ben Thanh market

Ben Thanh market vermicelli soup stall – perhaps this phrase has become too familiar to many people in Saigon, and even Vietnamese people returning from far away. For nearly half a century, from the vermicelli shop of a woman from the West who came to Saigon to start a business, until today, her children and grandchildren have been attached to, maintained, and continued the family dish and opened a more spacious and spacious restaurant, but still keeping the old spirit and flavor.

The main ingredients of the dish are crab cakes, blood, tofu, tomatoes, green onions and thin vermicelli noodles. The broth is light and sour with tamarind and tomato flavors, and the quality of each ingredient in the vermicelli bowl, especially the crab cakes, both fragrant and crispy, cooked according to the family’s own traditional recipe, cannot be found in any other restaurant.

Address: 163 Le Thanh Ton, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (1.2 km from The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel)

Opening hours: from 7am to 7pm daily